Cleveland would have picked fifth after losing a coin flip to Oklahoma City (both teams finished with the identical record of 22-50) had the draft order been placed in order by the record.
Cleveland moving up to third in what is expected to be the top draft class in years should give the Cavaliers a player that could be a franchise-level player.
Detroit and Houston will select ahead of Cleveland with the Pistons expected to take the top-rated prospect in Oklahoma State wing Cade Cunningham.
Houston's path is a bit less clear, but I would expect the Rockets to select USC center, Evan Mobley as the most likely, but far from a guaranteed selection.
The Rockets have a productive young big man in Christian Wood, who at 25 years of age averaged twenty-one points and just under ten rebounds last season, and the Rockets could attach their interior payload to Wood and take either of the next two players rather than Mobley based on current need.
However, Mobley's abilities for a center aren't nearly as common or as available compared to that of other positions, and unless the Rockets find a way to love another player or find someone that loves Mobley even more, I'd make him the pick for Houston.
That would leave four players remaining that entered the season that was thought of as possible elite-level players. but two have separated themselves from the rest.
The top two are both named Jalen- Green a 6'5 wing that can be used at the small forward position or at shooting guard who played in the NBA's G League last season for the Ignite team and Suggs a 6'4 point guard from Gonzaga.
Green would seem to be the better "Need " pick for Cleveland off the wing and would allow Isaac Okoro to be what he's best at- play defense and roam the floor and use his offense in the open floor off his defensive skills.
Green's skill set gives him the potential for 25 points per game, and when looking at the ceiling in this draft, Green could be first in this draft but I can also say that he could be a huge disappointment as well.
Suggs reminds me a lot of Chris Paul, but Cleveland has invested in two guards in the last three drafts in Collin Sexton and Darius Garland and even though Suggs could be the safest player in this draft, is Koby Altman willing to answer the inevitable questions about how he will find enough time for all three guards and how he expects a lineup with all three to be able to hold its own on the boards and defensively?
The remaining two players are rated as a small step below the top four, but ahead of the remaining players in Jonathan Kuminga, a 6'8 guard that was a teammate of Jalen Green's with the Ignite, and Scottie Barnes, a 6'9' player from Florida State is reported to have the ability to slot in at any defensive position at certain times.
Kuminga was rated higher at the beginning of the season, but his instincts have been questioned as well as his shot and selection although his athletic ability in the open floor is a major plus, and he might be one of those players that takes a few years and suddenly turns it on with one click.
Barnes is lauded for his defensive ability and rebounding but has major questions about his shot and the Cavaliers did select a very similar (but shorter) player to Barnes in Isaac Okoro last season.
Can Cleveland afford to draft virtual non-factors in the offensive game two years in a row?
I'm going to try to do a deeper look at the possible Cavalier choices before the draft on July 29th and I do have some work to do in scouting these players a bit deeper, so hopefully, I can write that up before the draft.
2 comments:
Would you trade Kevin Love and the #3 pick for James Wiseman, #7 and salary filler?
I’d have to think about it seriously, but this draft wouldn’t give you a foundation player at seven, IMO.
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